New driving laws clamping down on lane hogging and tailgating have snared nearly 200 drivers a week,and have been welcomed by motoring groups.

The new offenses have stopped a total of 5,472 since the regulations, which clamp down on bad driving habits, were instituted in August last year.

Now, accelerating through a puddle or mounting the pavement could cause you on-the-spot fines of £100 or even three penalty points on a license, which can be reduced by taking a safe driving course.

The new driving laws specifically target those who are driving inconsiderately towards their fellow drivers and pedestrians, but are not as severe as drink driving or speeding. Nevertheless, they still come with hefty fines and the possibility of points, depending on the severity

Among the offences, grouped under the 'inconsiderate driving' law, are driving too close to the vehicle in front, failing to give way at a junction and overtaking and pushing into a queue of traffic.

More offenses include being in the wrong lane and pushing into a queue on a roundabout, lane
discipline, such as needlessly hogging the middle or outside lanes,
inappropriate speed, wheel-spins, handbrake turns and other careless
manoeuvres.

Share this article

Scottish drivers were given the most fines and penalty points with 1,454 motorists north of the border falling foul of the laws.

In second place was Nottinghamshire with 977 motorists nabbed, according to figures obtained by motoring magazine Auto Express.

Out of these 600 specific offences, there were 154 lane hoggers - the most at 48 in the Thames Valley area.

So far, the new laws have stopped 5,472 drivers since they were instituted last year

Undertaking offences were recorded 84 times, as were 46 tailgaters.

Drivers doing things like wheelspins or handbrake turns accounted for 143 offences, with the most at 42 in Lancashire.

Police in this area also witnessed a lot of other offences that fall under the new legislation, including driving at speed through a puddle or deliberately driving up a kerb.

Some of the police forces chose not issue penalty points, instead dealing with cases with traffic offence reports and re-education.

Five forces - Northumbria, Durham, Dyfed-Powys, South Wales and Cleveland - are not stopping inconsiderate drivers at all because they do not have the facilities to offer the education course.

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'The encouraging thing is that this new law is being used by police. The long-term test is whether accident rates fall.'

Neil Greig, of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: 'We had doubts about whether it would become a numbers game, but the figures suggest the power is being used in the right way.'

Chief Constable Suzette Davenport, of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said: 'Officers have found the new procedures helpful as they seek to raise standards of driving and keep road users safe.'